


Preschool Blues

by Bellakitse



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Kid Fic, Light Angst, M/M, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:21:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24063511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellakitse/pseuds/Bellakitse
Summary: “Papa, do I really have to go to school?” Luca asks in a small soft voice. “Can’t I stay here with you and Dada?”It's their son's first day at school and Carlos and TK have to reassure him it's going to be okay.*Written for Lone Star Week Day 5 - Back to the Future (Future canon)
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 36
Kudos: 311
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star Week





	Preschool Blues

**Author's Note:**

> I introduced Luca Strand-Reyes in my drabble collection fics 'All the ways to love you' and we'll meet him again in the 3rd part of 'it takes a village' but for now this little fic.

Carlos is in the kitchen working on breakfast – animal shape waffles and fruit – for the big day. He can hear TK and Luca in their little boy’s bedroom down the hall. He smiles as he bites into an elephant waffle when he hears his son let out a shrieking laugh, followed by running. Coming out of the kitchen, he walks into the living room just in time to witness the commotion first hand.

“Luca, you need to put on clothes!” he hears TK exclaim.

It’s followed swiftly by a loud _‘No clothes’_ proclamation from their four-year-old.

Luca runs into the living room; luckily, he doesn’t notice him yet in his effort to escape his dad trying to dress him. He lets out a surprised yelp when Carlos comes up behind him, swooping him up in his arms before he runs any further.

“Papa!” he lets out in a loud voice, still too small to always remember inside voices.

“Good morning, mi corazon,” Carlos greets him, juggling him in his arms he smiles when Luca lets out an excited laugh as he clings to him. He gives his son a loud kiss on the cheek, blowing a raspberry into his neck that makes Luca shriek again, squirming around as it tickles him. “Are you being difficult for Dada?”

TK bursts into the room with a small denim blue button shirt clutched in his hand. He’s breathing heavy, and Carlos is amused by the fact that a healthy, energetic firefighter who goes into burning buildings and carries adults on his shoulders all the time can get winded from running around after a four-year-old boy.

“How’s it going?” Carlos asks sarcastically, grinning when TK shoots him a dirty look.

“ _Your_ son doesn’t want to wear a shirt on his first day of preschool,” TK complains, walking towards them with his hands on his hips. “I blame _you_ for this.”

Carlos looks at Luca in his arms, sharing a smile with the little boy who seems very proud of himself as he rests comfortably on Carlos’ hip. He turns back at his husband with a raised eyebrow. “My fault? How do you figure?”

TK waves his hand at him, giving his naked chest a pointed look. “Who else did he learn to be an exhibitionist from, hmm?

“You’ve never complained before,” Carlos answers, his voice a pitch lower, smirking when TK reacts instantly, his bright green eyes turning a shade darker. “In fact, I distinctly remember you _not_ complaining about my state of undress just _last night_ , Tyler Kennedy.”

TK’s eyes widen at the comment, and Carlos has to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the blush that spreads over his husband’s handsome face. “ _Carlos Reyes_ ,” he hisses at him. “No, S-E-X-Y talk in front of our child!”

Carlos lets out a loud laugh that is echoed by Luca even though the little boy has no clue what they’re talking about, his father’s amusement is enough to make the boy happy.

“ _Ugh_ , I don’t have one kid, I have two,” he grumbles, his face still a pretty pink. He pushes the shirt he’s holding into Carlos’ hand. “Here, you get the privilege of dressing our son. I’ll go finish the waffles.”

“Monkey waffles!” Luca exclaims. “I want the monkey waffles, Dada.”

TK turns to Luca, giving him a serious look. “Let Papa help you with your shirt and stay still while he combs your hair, and you can have monkey waffles and bananas, okay?”

Luca seems to consider the deal for a moment, he looks at the shirt in Carlos’ hand with a small frown and then back at TK. In the end, his stomach wins out over his dislike of shirts, and he gives TK a reluctant nod. “Two monkey waffles, bananas, and chips,” Luca bargains, asking for chocolate chips on top of his breakfast.

Carlos watches, laughing on the inside as his husband and child lock eyes in a battle of wills, he bites down on his lip again when TK lets out a sigh, giving Luca a nod.

“Fine, a spoonful of chocolate chips, but Luca, I want you dressed and nicely combed,” TK warns their son. “We don’t have much time before you have to be at school, and we’re not going to be late on your first day. Okay?”

Luca nods, giving his dad a bright smile that makes TK soften immediately.

“You always get your way, little man,” TK says, leaning in to kiss Luca on the cheek, he kisses Carlos too on the corner of his mouth before heading to the kitchen.

“Come on, let's finish getting you dressed and shining like a brand new penny,” he says, smiling at his boy.

With Luca still in his arms, he heads for the bathroom. He places him on the counter and starts to work on the buttons of the shirt.

“Papa, do I really have to go to school?” Luca asks in a small soft voice. “Can’t I stay here with you and Dada?”

Carlos stops what he’s doing to look at his son, finding his big brown eyes looking at him anxiously. “Are you scared, Nene? Is that why you don’t want to put on a shirt?”

Luca gives him a little shrug, his naked shoulders lifting to his ears.

Carlos puts two fingers under Luca’s chin tipping it upward as he bends at the knee to catch his eyes. “What are you worried about, sweetheart. Talk to me.”

Luca looks away from him for a moment; his small hands grip his pants nervously. Picking at his clothes is such a TK trait, and Carlos feels his heart twist, he doesn’t like to see either of his loves anxious.

“Will you and Dada be here when I come home?” Luca asks. His voice almost a whisper, and if Carlos’ heart twisted before, it almost breaks now at the question.

“Of course,” he rushes to reassure Luca. “Nene, you know that going to school doesn’t mean me or dad are going away _or_ that we’re sending you away, right?”

Luca doesn’t answer, and Carlos feels awful, he’s not sure where he and TK went wrong in explaining school that their son got a false impression of what was happening.

“Luca, school is important,” he starts softly, hoping his tone calms his son’s worries as much as his words. “And yes, you do need to go, everyone goes to school when they’re little like you. It’s so you can learn your numbers and letters.”

“Papa, I know them!” Luca interrupts, making Carlos smile, some of the ache in his chest loosening with Luca’s proud declaration. 

Luca does know his numbers and letters, in English and Spanish. He and TK are ridiculously proud of how advanced Luca already is.

“I know, Nene,” he says kindly, running his hand over Luca’s soft curls. “But there are other things you need to learn that can only happen in school, and it’s not just learning, you get to play games, color, and make new friends. School is great, Luca, and I know you’re going to love it.”

Luca doesn’t say anything; instead, he just bites down on his bottom lip uncertain.

“But more importantly, Luca, no matter what happens at school, today, tomorrow or a week from now. When school is done for the day, you’ll come home to dad and me, always.”

He watches as Luca bites down on his lip a little harder, but it doesn’t hide the way it trembles slightly. “You promise?”

Carlos hesitates for a second; he knows that deep down it’s not a promise he should make, he’s a police officer, and TK is a firefighter, there could very well come a day when one of them doesn’t come home. But he also knows that he and TK will do everything in their power to make sure Luca doesn’t have to experience that. “I promise, baby.”

Luca gives him a look of complete faith that humbles him before he makes grabby hands. He pulls him into his arms, lifting him off the counter as he holds him in a tight hug. “I promise,” he whispers again, feeling his eyes sting when he hears Luca sniffle into his shoulder.

Carlos continues to hug his little boy, probably needing it more than Luca at this point.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

Carlos turns with Luca in his arms to find TK standing at the door, looking at them with a worried frown.

“Luca had a concerned about preschool,” Carlos starts, hesitating for a moment. He knows what he’s about to say will cause TK distress no matter what. “He was worried going to school meant we wouldn’t be here anymore when he’s done with the day.”

TK makes a wounded noise, his eyes going wide as he takes a step forward.

“But I explained to him that we aren’t going anywhere,” Carlos continues quickly, hating the look on his husband’s face. “He understands that neither of us is leaving him. Isn’t that right, Luca?”

Luca lifts his head from his shoulder, turning to look at TK, and Carlos hates that he can see his eyelashes are a little wet.

“Papa promised,” Luca says softly. “You promise too, Dada?”

“Oh sweetheart,” TK breathes out softly, coming forward to press himself on the other side of Luca, holding him close between them. “Of course I promise,” he continues, rubbing his hand up and down Luca’s back. “You’re our boy, our whole world. We’re not leaving you, that’s not what school is about at all. I’m sorry if we did something to make you think that, so sorry.”

Luca goes from Carlos’ arms to TK’s, and Carlos watches as his husband clings to their son as firmly as he did.

TK pulls back to look at Luca, wiping his face with his hand. “Are you okay? Do you have any other concerns you want to tell us?”

Luca shakes his head, his expression more relaxed than before. A small smile appearing on his face when TK kisses his forehead.

“We love you, Luca. You know that, right, sweetheart?”

“Love you too, Dada,” Luca answers TK before turning over to him. “Love you, Papa.”

“I love you, mi corazon, hoy y siempre,” he tells Luca, swallowing around the lump in his throat at the sweet smile Luca gives them.

“Can we finish getting you ready, baby?” TK asks softly, letting out an exhale when Luca calmly gives them a nod. “Good,” TK continues with a smile as they help Luca into his shirt, wash his face, and quickly get his curls under control. “The monkey waffles are done and on the table.”

“Chocolate chips and bananas?” Luca asks excitedly as he remembers.

“I did promise, didn’t I,” TK answers getting a happy woo out of Luca. “Why don’t you go to the table, it’s all cut up, and we’ll be there in a second. Okay, bud?”

Luca gives TK another nod, already racing for the kitchen, the worries and tears of a few minutes forgotten, at least by him. Carlos watches as TK holds it together until Luca is out of the room before he starts to shake. He has his arms around his husband before the first tear rolls down his face.

“How did we miss that?” TK questions, his words slightly muffled by the way he presses his face into Carlos’ neck, much like the way Luca had moments ago.

“TK – “ Carlos whispers his name helplessly, rubbing his back to try and soothe him.

“I should have picked up on it,” TK says desperately. “His social worker and the therapist told us to prepare for separation anxiety when we adopted him.”

“And that was almost two years ago, Ty,” Carlos argues, he’s not going to let TK blame himself for this. “He’s been doing so well; he’s a happy little boy. Please don’t blame yourself.”

“But –“

“No,” Carlos cuts him off firmly. “He had a concern, and he expressed himself, he told one of us what was bothering him, and we reassured him. He’s eating his waffles, and he’s fine. We’ll take him to school, we’ll reassure him again, and he’s going to have a good day. He’s okay, Tyler.”

TK looks up at him with those big green eyes of his; they’re a different color from their son’s brown eyes, but they hit Carlos square in the gut all the same.

“Are you sure?” TK can’t help but ask, concern still shading his expression.

“I’m sure,” Carlos promises, he leans in and presses a kiss to TK’s temple. “He knows he’s loved; you made sure of that.”

“ _You_ did,” TK argues, and Carlos can’t help but smile.

“We both did,” he concedes, getting a smile back from TK.

TK cuddles into his frame again, causing Carlos to chuckle gently as he hugs him close. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Carlos murmurs into TK’s hairline, he holds him until they hear Luca call out, telling them he’s going to eat all the monkeys.

“Come on,” he says, pulling back to share another smile with the man he loves. “Let's go before our kid leaves us without breakfast. I don’t know how someone so tiny can pack so much away.”

TK laughs softly, his shoulders finally relaxing as they make their way into the kitchen. They find Luca with a mouthful of waffles, smiling happily when he sees them.

“Are they good, baby?” he asks as he takes a seat next to him. Luca nods.

“And are you ready for an excellent first day of school, Nene?” Carlos questions, he watches as TK holds his breath as they wait for their son to answer.

“We’ll be here waiting for you to come home and tell us all about it,” TK adds on when Luca hesitates.

Luca looks at both of them for a moment before letting out a small brave smile. The trusting look on his face once again humbling Carlos, and he knows TK feels the same. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://bellakitse.tumblr.com/)
> 
> “I love you, mi Corazon, hoy y siempre.' - 'I love you, my heart. Today and always.'


End file.
